ADVANCED
MANUFACTURING

WHEREAS, in 2012, manufacturers
contributed $1.87 trillion to the nationís economy, up from $1.73 trillion in
2011, and represented 11.9 percent of GDP; and

WHEREAS, manufacturing supports an
estimated 17.2 million jobs in the United States of which nearly 12 million are
employed directly in manufacturing; and

WHEREAS, in 2011, the average
manufacturing worker in the United States earned $77,060 annually, including
pay and benefits, while the average working in all industries earned $60,168;
and

WHEREAS, manufacturers in the United
States perform two-thirds of all private-sector research and development in the
nation; and

WHEREAS, US exports growth is a key
factor in economic growth and are largely driven by technological innovation in
aerospace, life sciences, clean energy, environmental scientific instruments,
and other related fields; and

WHEREAS, todayís manufacturing sector
is increasingly located in cities; and

WHEREAS, manufacturing brings revenues
into the city and metropolitan economy from external areas, states, and
countries, also supporting job creation in other parts of the local economy;
and

WHEREAS, thriving advanced
manufacturing and related technology sectors attract and grow investment
throughout our nation in both cities and suburban and rural communities; and

WHEREAS, President Obama proposed a
concrete agenda to train American workers for advanced manufacturing jobs, end
tax breaks to ship jobs overseas, and level the playing field for workers by
opening new markets for American-made products; and

WHEREAS, the Presidentís proposed a
cross-agency investment in FY 2014 to award five to six IMCP
"Challenge" grants of up to $25 million each for having the best
long-term, coordinated strategies for attracting private investment and
increasing exports; and

WHEREAS, the President proposed a $1
billion investment to expand the Manufacturing Innovation Institutes Network
across the country; and

WHEREAS, On May 9, the President
launched a competition for three new Manufacturing Innovation Institutes which
is part of a vision for linked regional hubs that will anchor economic growth
in our nationís urban centers; and

WHEREAS, the President has proposed
increased investment in key advanced manufacturing research and development
programs across federal agencies; and

WHEREAS, the President has established
an interagency Advanced Manufacturing National Program Office (AMNPO); and

WHEREAS, despite bipartisan interest
and various legislative proposals, there remains a multitude of unconnected
federal programs and no comprehensive national strategy for reviving and
sustaining a strong manufacturing sector, keeping our nation on the leading
edge of innovation, or providing sufficient resources to educate Americaís future
talent and workforce,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that The U.S. Conference of
Mayors urges the President and the U.S. Congress to establish, pursue, and
invest in a clear manufacturing strategy that better incorporates the role and
value of advanced manufacturing in broader urban and economic development
policies and programs; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the federal government
should evaluate and remove constraints on urban manufacturing support, and that
mayors and the federal government should work together to identify additional
ways to support technology education, research and innovation that can boost
advanced manufacturing in US cities.